Alitalia and banks strike deal to keep airline running - sources

An Alitalia airplane takes off at the Fiumicino International airport in Rome, Italy, February 12, 2016. REUTERS/Tony Gentile/File Photo

MILAN (Reuters) - Alitalia and creditor banks have struck a deal on the financial resources required to keep the Italian airline afloat, sources close to the matter told Reuters on Thursday.

Controlling investor Etihad Airways, which holds a 49 percent stake, is struggling to relaunch the loss-making carrier since investing 560 million euros ($585 million) as part of a wider 1.8 billion euro rescue deal in 2014.

Alitalia is losing half a million euros a day and is far from returning to profitability by next year, as pledged by Etihad two years ago.